SEMMERING, Austria (AP) -- In June, Anita Wachter was lying on an operating table for the second time in four months, having grim thoughts about the end of her career.
Six months later, the Austrian veteran put the exclamation point on a strong comeback from knee surgery by impressively winning a World Cup giant slalom race on home territory for her first victory in almost three years."I knew I could be in the top three today, but the victory is a big surprise," she said after denying teammate Alexandra Meissnitzer a third straight giant slalom victory.
Meissnitzer, the favorite and overall World Cup leader, finished a relatively distant second. Wachter sped down the fast, perfectly prepared Hirschenkogel course in a two-run combined time of 2 minutes, 7.90 seconds, beating Meissnitzer by 0.74 seconds.
Coming back from a severe knee injury suffered in a crash last season in Cortina, Italy, Wachter won her first race since January 1996. Her previous best this season had been third in a giant slalom at Val d'Isere earlier this month.
"I gained a lot of self-confidence from that race," Wachter said.
Wachter, the 1993 overall World Cup champion, knew she wouldn't be able to compete in speed disciplines anytime soon after four months of rehabilitation. She decided to pursue World Cup points in slalom and giant slalom only, a move which has brought her third place in the giant slalom standings after four events.
"I didn't know how my knees would react to a full load," she said. "Now I see it was a good decision.
"I risked a lot today, more than anyone else."
The 31-year old Austrian, who has competed on the women's alpine skiing circuit since 1985, now has the confidence to finish in the top three finish at the alpine skiing World Championships at Vail, Colorado, in January.
"I proved to myself I'm still good," she said.
Meissnitzer squandered her chances on the second run, in which she finished a disappointing tenth.
"In the last few days, the pressure was pretty high," she said.
Praising Wachter for her performance, Meissnitzer said she wouldn't have won even if she hadn't been so cautious in the second run.
"Today I simply had no chance," she said.
Finishing eighth in the first run, Norway's Andrine Flemmen came home third in a combined 2:09.33, posting a brilliant second leg.
Despite being beaten Sunday, Meissnitzer boosted her lead atop the overall World Cup standings, where she sits with 891 points. Germany's Martina Ertl, seventh in Sunday's race, is second with 504, followed by Austrian Renate Goetschl with 485.
The World Cup circuit continues today with a night slalom at the Hirschenkogel.